VOMITING:

Vomiting usually results from a viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract or your child eating something that is difficult to digest. Stomach viruses are often associated with diarrhea. Vomiting usually lasts for 6-24 hours. Oral hydration is important to replace the fluids and electrolytes that your child loses.

For children 1 year and over:
- Offer clear liquids in small amounts (i.e. ice chips, Gatorade, defizzed pop (stir until bubbles are gone) 1 tablespoon every 10 minutes and gradually increase amounts after 4 hours if child is holding it down.
- If vomiting reoccurs, let stomach rest at least 1 hour and start process over again
- Offer bland, starchy foods after 8 hours of no vomiting and continue for 24 hours. (i.e. saltine crackers, white bread, dry cereal, mashed potatoes, pasta, bananas) then resume regular diet.
- A common mistake is to try to rush the process of getting a child eating better. This often results in a worsening of the condition.

For breast fed infants:
- Provide breast milk more frequently and in smaller volumes. If the baby’s stomach is less full, he is less likely to vomit.
- If vomits twice: nurse only 1 side every 1-2 hours
- If vomits more than twice: nurse 4-5 minutes every 30-60 minutes
- After 8 hours, return to regular breast feeding

Bottle fed babies:
- 1/2 strength formula if vomits once
- Vomiting more than once, offer pedialyte beginning with 1 teaspoon every 10 minutes and gradually increase amount after 4 hours if baby is tolerating it.
- May go back to full strength formula if no vomiting occurs after 8 hours.
- If baby over 4 months, may return to strained bananas, cereal, etc
- Normal diet after 24-48 hours

Call office:
- If child hasn’t urinated in 8 hours, or less than 3 times in 24 hours.
- Mouth dry
- Blood noted with vomiting
- Child has worsening lethargy
- Abdominal pain over 4 hours.
- If vomiting continues over 24 hours in children under 2 or 48 hours for children over 2

Other facts about vomiting:
- If your child has a fever suppositories may be given.
- Pedialyte should not be continued after the first day.
- There are no effective medicines to control vomiting due to stomach viruses. Suppositories for vomiting relieve vomiting due to other causes (anesthesia, motion sickness, etc.) and can cause serious reactions.